Internal combustion engine ignition system



A. J. DI LUCCI Aug. 19, 1941.

' INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Julyo, 19405 jffa.

Arzhonj/ Patented Aug. 19, 1941 INTERNAL COMBUST IoN ENGINE IGNITION YSTEM Anthony J Lucci, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner of one-half to Sydney J. Levy, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application July 30, 1940, Serial N0. 348,401

4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-'148) This invention has for its primary purpose the provision of a novel and eicient'internal combustion engine ignition system which will produce an intense, hot spark without the use of spark plugs and distributors or timers or dangerous exposure of the conductors employed to. charge the electrodes with hightension alternating current.

Another purpose of this invention is to provide ignition means of the character described in which relative simplicity and inexpensiveness and increased efficiency are attained to a marked degree by reason of the use of electrodes which are respectively mounted in the cylinders and on the' pistons so that they will produce the desired spark when the pistons reach the approximate limits of their up-strokes.

A further purpose is to provide an improved ignition means such as described inwhich one of the electrodes is continuously charged with a high tension alternating current andis rendered eiective to produce a spark only when the piston reaches the end or approximately the end of its up-stroke, and then by reason of the electrodes being brought into suchclose proximity as will produce lthe spark, no timing means being necessary and the high tension A. C. current insuring that the desired intense spark will be produced.

In an application Serial No. 338,739 led by me on June 4, 1940, there is disclosed an ignition system similar to the present one in thati-t eliminates spark pings and carries the electrodes and high tension A. C. conductors interiorly of the engine. However, this arrangement provides for carrying the electrodes on the tops of the pistons and employs a timing means operated by the connecting rods. The present` invention is an improvement on the former one in that in into effect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing )in which:

Fig'. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of an engine as equipped with one form of ignition system embodying the present invention;

`the line 2-2 trode 8 fixed on the upper end 9 of the piston by means I0 which insulates it from the piston, a. conductor rod II electrically connected to the electrode 8 and depending from end 9 of the piston, and a wiper contactmeans l2 fixed on and insulated from the lower part of thelcylinder for engaging the rod Il and supplying high tension current to electrode 8. A conductor I3 leads'from the contact means I2 to a suitable high tension `transformer I4, the high tension side of which is grounded as at I5 and connected `with conductor I3. The low tension side of 'this transformeris connected by means of conductors I6 and Il with a convertor'l for supplying alternating current to the transformer, said convertor being driven by means of the battery I9 and conductors 20. The ignition switch 2| is connected in one of the conductor f lines 20 and when closed starts the operation of the convertor whereby the electrode 8 is continuously charged with highV tension A. C. current during the operation of the engine.

The electrode 8 may consist of a plurality of electrode elements 8a insulated from one another and the piston and so spaced that when theone thereof next adjacent the ground electrode 6 is brought close thereto as at or near the top of the up-stroke of the piston a Aseries of spark gaps will be formed, between the ground electrode on the cylinder the elements 8a and the end one of the vlatter to which the conductor II is connected. This will produce a series of intense sparks at intervals across the top of the piston when the latter is in firing position whereby to insure ignition of the fuel charge in a most effective manner.

As shown in Fig. 3,` I may provide a, ground electrode 22 on the top of the piston 23 and the high tension electrode 24 on 'the cylinder head 25 of the cylinder 26, this being a reversal of the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and `2, and may in some instancesl be more desirable since it eliminates the use of the piston carried .conductor rod I I and wiper contact'means I2. A suitably insulated conductor 2l supplies high tension current constantly to the high tension electrode 24. It is desirable to mount the transformer close to the Wiper contact l2 in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and close to the electrode' 24 in the form shown in Fig. 3, whereby short leads not exposed or appreciably exposed on the exterior of the cylinder may be used to conduct the high tension current to the high Itension electrodes.

It is now seen that I have provided a simple and efficient ignition means which will produce the desired ignition sparks without the use of a timer or distributor or spark plug in a much more reliable manner and without the liability of mechanical failure which is attendant upon timer-spark plug ignition systems.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operable therein, electrodes respectively mounted in the upper end of the cylinder and on the upper end of the piston so as to form a spark gap due to close proximity of one electrode to the other only when the pis-ton substantially reaches the end of its upstroke, one of the electrodes being grounded to the metal of the engine, and means for charging the other electrode with a high 4tension electrical current; one of said electrodes comprising a series of spaced electrode sections which form a series of spark gaps.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operable therein, a high tension end of the cylinder for forming with the high tension electrode a spark gap only when the piston reaches a predetermined position in the cylinder, a high tension conductor connected with the high tension electrode and depending from the piston, a contact member engaging said conductor and mounted on a. side of the engine and having an exterior portion affording connection with a, source of high tension current.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operable therein, a high tension electrode mounted on the upper end of the piston, aground electrode mounted at the upper end of the cylinder for forming with the high tension electrode a spark gap only when the piston reaches a predetermined position in the cylinder, a high tension conductor connected with the high tension electrode and depending from the piston, a contact member engaging said conductor and mounted on a side of the engine and having an exterior portion affording connection with a source of high tension current, said high tension electrode including a plurality'of electrode sections spaced apart to provide a series of spark gaps.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a piston operable therein, electrodes respectively mounted in the upper end of the cylinder and on the upper end of the piston so as to form a spark gap due to close proximity of one electrode to the other only when the piston substantially reaches the end of its up-stroke, one of the electrodes being ground to the m'etal of the engine, and means for charging the other electrode with a high tension electrical current, including a conductor member fixed to said piston and movable therewith, and a source connected contact member mounted within the engine for engaging said conductor member.

ANTHONY J. DI LUCCI. 

